Method and system for securing communication

• US 9,407,610 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2014
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PACid Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: PACid Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Fielder, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/307,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20140298019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 713/168, 713/171, 713/169, 713/181, 713/156, 713/189, 370/338, 709/204
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/24 Key scheduling, i.e. generating round keys or sub-keys for block encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0838 Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these network architectures or network communication protocols for key exchange in a packet data network H04L63/061
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/16 the keys or algorithms being changed during operation

Abstract

A method for generating one or more secrets for use by members. The method includes sending a first request for connection with a second member, and sending a second request to connection with a third member. The method further includes receiving, by the first member from the second member, a second input after the first request is sent and after communication is initiated between the first member and the second member and receiving, by the first member from the third member, a third input after the second request is sent and after communication is initiated between the first member and the third member. The method further includes generating, using an n-bit generator executing on the first member, a message digest using a first input, the second input, and the third input, extracting a secret from the message digest, and storing the secret in a secrets repository on the first member.

Claims

1. A method for generating at least one secret for use by a plurality of members, comprising:

sending, by a first member, a first request for connection with a second member;

sending, by the first member, a second request for connection with a third member;

receiving, by the first member from the second member, a second input after the first request is sent and after communication is initiated between the first member and the second member;

receiving, by the first member from the third member, a third input after the second request is sent and after communication is initiated between the first member and the third member;

generating, using an n-bit generator executing on the first member, a message digest using a first input, the second input, and the third input, wherein the first input is not obtained from the second member and the first input is not obtained from the third member;

extracting a secret from the message digest;

storing the secret in a secrets repository on the first member; and

generating, by the first member using the n-bit generator and the secret, a second message digest; and

encrypting communication between at least the first member and the second member using at least a portion of the second message digest, including extracting, by the first member, an encryption solution from the second message digest, wherein the encryption solution comprises an encryption key and algorithm selector bits.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication between at least the first member and the second member comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of electronic mail (e-mail), a chat session, a file, and a short message service (SMS) message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption solution is used to encrypt communication between the first member and the third member.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption solution is used to encrypt communication between members of a group, wherein the group comprises the first member, the second member, and the third member.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encrypting communication between at least the first member and the third member using at least a portion of the second message digest.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first request is part of a communication between the first member and the second member, and wherein the communication comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a short messaging service (SMS) message, an electronic mail (e-mail), a chat message, an audio message, a graphic, and an audio-visual message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first request is a request to join a group and wherein the second request is a request to join the group.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the first member to the second member, the first input after communication is initiated between the first member and the second member; and

sending, by the first member to the third member, the first input after communication is initiated between the first member and the third member.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of randomly generated challenge and a passphrase.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encrypting communication between at least the first member and the second member using at least a portion of the message digest.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication between at least the first member and the second member comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of electronic mail (e-mail), a chat session, a file, and a short message service (SMS) message.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein encrypting communication between at least the first member and the second member using at least the portion of the message digest comprises:

extracting, by the first member, an encryption solution from the message digest, wherein the encryption solution comprises an encryption key and algorithm selector bits.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input is generated by the first member.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, by the first member from the second member, the second input comprises:

receiving an encrypted value from the second member; and

decrypting, by the first member, the encrypted value to obtain the second input.

15. A method for generating at least one secret for use by a plurality of members, comprising:

receiving, by a first member, a request to contact a second member;

initiating, in response to the request, communication between the first member and the second member;

receiving, by the first member from the second member, a second input after communication is initiated between the first member and the second member;

generating, using an n-bit generator executing on the first member, a message digest using at least a first input and the second input, wherein the first input is not obtained from the second member;

extracting a secret from the message digest;

storing the secret in a secrets repository on the first member; and

generating, by the first member using the n-bit generator and the secret, a second message digest; and

encrypting communication between at least the first member and the second member using at least a portion of the second message digest, including extracting, by the first member, an encryption solution from the second message digest, wherein the encryption solution comprises an encryption key and algorithm selector bits.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, by the first member, a request to contact a third member;

initiating, in response to the request to contact the third member, communication between the first member and the third member; and

receiving, by the first member from the third member, a third input after communication is initiated between the first member and the third member,

wherein generating the message digest further comprises using the third input.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the request comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of contact information for the second member, secure communication channel information for communicating with the second member, and a name of a user of the second member.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second members communicate using the secure communication channel information.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication between at least the first member and the second member comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of electronic mail (e-mail), a chat session, a file, and a short message service (SMS) message.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor perform a method, the method comprising:

sending, by a first member, a first request for connection with a second member;

sending, by the first member, a second request to connection with a third member;

receiving, by the first member from the second member, a second input after the first request is sent and after communication is initiated between the first member and the second member;

receiving, by the first member from the third member, a third input after the second request is sent and after communication is initiated between the first member and the third member;

generating, using an n-bit generator executing on the first member, a message digest using a first input, the second input, and the third input, wherein the first input is not obtained from the second member and the first input is not obtained from the third member;

extracting a secret from the message digest;

storing the secret in a secrets repository on the first member;

generating, by the first member using the n-bit generator and the secret, a second message digest;

encrypting communication between at least the first member and the second member using at least a portion of the second message digest; and

encrypting communication between at least the first member and the third member using at least a portion of the second message digest, including extracting, by the first member, an encryption solution from the second message digest, wherein the encryption solution comprises an encryption key and algorithm selector bits.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first member, a request to contact a second member;

initiating, in response to the request, communication between the first member and the second member;

receiving, by the first member from the second member, a second input after communication is initiated between the first member and the second member;

generating, using an n-bit generator executing on the first member, a message digest using at least a first input and the second input, wherein the first input is not obtained from the second member;

extracting a secret from the message digest;

storing the secret in a secrets repository on the first member;

generating, by the first member using the n-bit generator and the secret, a second message digest;

encrypting communication between at least the first member and the second member using at least a portion of the second message digest; and

encrypting communication between at least the first member and the third member using at least a portion of the second message digest, including extracting, by the first member, an encryption solution from the second message digest, wherein the encryption solution comprises an encryption key and algorithm selector bits.